Spanish Civil War Update

Quick post but now there are three Spanish Civil War scenarios plus the stats needed to game the Legion Condor scenarios I am focusing on. These can be found on the Downloads page under the Spanish Civil War section. My initial focus will be on developing the scenarios that feature the Heinkel He 51, which rules the skies against the early Republican fighters, held even with the I-15, but struggled mightily against the I-16 (although the skilled German pilots did have some success even against the speedy I-16).

Downloads

Duel With the Veltro After Action

Same day, second game! (see HERE for the first game).

I had remembered to bring along a second scenario in case the guys wanted to game more after flying in the skies over Britain. Four of us could indeed stay (understanding wives), so I was able to put my version of "Protecting Them All" on the board, updated based on the information I could find from historic accounts, called "Duel With the Veltro." It features the Red Tails of the 302nd Fighter Squadron, part of the 332nd Fighter Group, known (well) after the war as the Tuskegee Airmen.  

One of the two Mustang elements. Those P-51s really stand out with their red trim and tails!

The game featured a damaged B-24 making its way home, being jumped by a pair of Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana Macchi C.205s. Screaming down from above was a flight of P-51Cs, led by Alfonza Davis. The bomber and the Italians were at Medium CAB, while the American Fighters stated at TAL 6, Medium Top CAB. It would be a case of timing to see if the Americans could dive fast enough to engage the pair of Macchis before the latter could destroy the wounded bomber.

In need of protection

The Italians closed in, but had a tough time against the bomber - perhaps the veteran aircrew rating I gave the bomber, with its already impressive robustness 4 rating, was overkill.

A pair of Macchis close in.

The Americans were able to power dive, then steep dive (with just one failing the resultant aircrew check - thank goodness for no doubles), then power dive, which actually caused the Yanks to overshoot the Macchis. But upon reverse the American veteran pilot plopped on the tail of the green Macchi at two hex range and...well that was that! 

But then there is but one Macchi.

The veteran Macchi skillfully maneuvered around the bomber, but then came in range once again of the veteran Mustang and within just a few turns it was pretty much game over. The second pair of Italian fighters, entering on Turn 3 at low altitude, had no impact by the time we decided to call the game.

Escorting the Liberator, Red Tail style.

A few takeaways on this scenario - first, the bomber probably started too far into the board (eight hexes). Changing that to five hexes. Second, since I wrote the scenario I have done a lot more reading on the 1st Fighter Squadron of the ANR - it was filled with skilled pilots, so that means the green Macchi is going to skilled. Third, a veteran bomber aircrew - a bit too much. Dropping that rating to skilled. And lastly, in order to get the second pair of Macchis to have a possible impact, they enter on Turn 2 - no longer will a random die roll determine its arrival.

The short game and the fact I was playing yielded fewer piccies.

Planes - Flight Deck Decals painted by Misc. Minis.

Decals - Misc. Minis and Sieben Schwaben Spiele.

Mat - Deep Cut Studio.

Duel Between Eagles After Action

Today a few of the Check Your 6! Southwestern Ohio gathered together at a new location for a little gaming. The scenario was a modified version of the "Duel Between Eagles" scenario from the Over the Channel scenario book. Modified as I went with six instead of nine Spitfires to face off against the eight Messerschmitts, and tried to add a little balance by giving the two British players the higher quality pilots in the scenario.

A Rotte of Bf 109Es...

...and a vic of Sptifires.

The random setup is interesting, and means that one would never have the same game twice, regardless of using the Variable Rules. Each group of planes rolls a random edge location, and a random TAL.

Engine damage and fire!

The setup saw the Brits start along Edges 2 and 5 with the four German players filling in the remaining edges. This led to two distinct and separate furballs - four German planes against three British on each end of the board. For the first couple of turns the Germans starting at low TAL along Edges 3 and 4 headed directly towards each other, with one of the players not realizing that he was maneuvering towards his kamraden!

The support Rotten moving to...support!

A quick kill occurred when one vic of Brits took on a pair of 109s head on - the British ace ("Sailor" Malan - one of two Adolfs on the board) taking down a skilled Hun. Meanwhile the two German elements in the center of the board finally had some height and turned to support their fellow players. I was seated on one end of the table, so my details of the other furball are sketchy at best, bit seemingly the British player was giving the Germans all they could handle. It was not really a day of aces - several time both Adolfs missed some relatively obtainable hits. The game went fifteen turns, but it was fifteen turns of diving, turning, climbing (a little Iron Maiden "Aces High" reference there) with the outnumbered Brits holding their own, but the German numbers started to take their toll.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the board, passing ships in the night, or something like that.

And support on its way.

The British ace in the distance, with engine damaged, moves but one hex per turn.

Final result was a German victory, 16 points against the Brits' 11. 

Mat - Deep Cut Studio

Planes - Raiden painted by Jamie (more on those HERE)